Horn push button



Aug'A 9' 1927' ELN. '.JAcoBl HORN PUSH BUTTON Filed Aug. 27. 192g WITNESSEQ ful flange thereof.

-Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES .PAIErVr oFFIcE.

EDWARD N. JACOBI, or MILWAUKEE, WIscoNsIN, AssIGNon, BY ivIEsNE AssIGN- MENTS, T BRIGGS & STRATTON CORP CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

This invention relates to push buttonsand particularly to push buttons for controlling horn circuits of automobiles.

An object of the invention is to so simpli fy the construction that the device may be made durable and efficient and at the same time inexpensive to manufact-ure.

i! With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the push button as herein claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like characters'of reference indicate the same parts indifferent views:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a push button ,constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof on a ylarger scale;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the insulating disks; and

Fig. 5 is a view of the spring cup showing the square post connection therewith.

In these drawings indicates a casing ring of sheet metal forming an inturned button retaining fiange and an outwardly extending attaching flange with downwardly turned edges and provided with openings 11 to receive attaching screws. f

A sheet metal retaining ring 12 fits in the recess in the hack of the securing flange where where it is secured in. place by three small crimps 13 made in the edge ofthe securing flange. Notches 14` are formed in the ring 12 to receive the depressions kforming the screw holes 11 while the inner. edge is bent up toforman outwardly extending flange 15 for strengthening purposes. v

The diameter of the opening in the re taining ring 12 is less than the diameterof the cylindrical portion of the casing ring 10 so as to form a shoulder for retaining the parts within the casing ring.

A cup-shaped button member 16 of insulating material loosely fits within the cas- .ing ring with a beveled shoulder normally bearing against the conical button retaining A sheet metal cup 17 is mainly contained within the cavity in the back of the push button 16 but its outwardly extending flat edge bears against theflat end of the but-ton 16 and constitutes an annular contact normally spaced from, but capable, when the ORATION, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A

- HORN PUSH BUTTON.

Application filed August 27, .1920. Serialy No. 406,290.

button is depressedyof engaging a cooperating annular contact flange of a. sheet metal contact ring 18 held within the casing and insulated therefrom by insulating ring 19 bearing against the retaining' ring 12. The contact ring 18 has an inwardly extending flange 2O for retaining within it an insulating member 217 as here shown consisting of three fiber disks, serving as a spring seat for a coil spring 22 which is confined between it and lthe cup 17v to keep the contacts separated. The thrust of the spring in one di-A rection 1s taken by the outwardly extending 1 flange of cup 17 bearing against the end of l taining ring-12 secured to the casing In order tov make electrical'connection with the cup 17 a post 23 is securedthereto and passes freely through an opening 241 in the insulating member 21 with a screw 25 threaded in its end to form binding post. As here shown, the post 23 is squarein cross section and fits in the ,correspondingly shaped 'opening 211 in the insulating disks 21 to serve as a key for preventing parts from turning. Preferably. also,the post is so con` nected with the cup 17 as to prevent its turn-A ing with respect thereto, and with this end in view, it is shown as having a reduced neck turned therein.y as seen in Figs. 3 and V5, which is passed through a toothed opening 26 vin the cup 17 and is then spread by forcing a conically shaped tool in the end of the opening which extends through it. thus flaring or upsetting the end of the post and crowding the neck portion into the vteeth or" the opening to effectively rivet the post in a manner that will prevent it from turning.

In order that electrical connection may be lmade with the contact ring 18 the flange 20 is broadened at one part and bent outwardly to form a nut housing with a substantially square recess y27 in the outer insulating disk 21. This nut housing encloses a nut 28 and a screw 29 passes through an opening in the flange 2O and threads through the nut and extends into a circular opening 30 in the ifi l flu nextinsulating disk. The nut is thus retained and prevented from turning by the enclosure provided tor it and the sci'cw 2S) `forms a binding post.

In operation the horn circuit or other circuit controlled by the push button is norn'ially interrupted because ot the spaced relation in which the contacts 17 and 18 are held but a pressure on the button 16 either to slide or tilt itl serves to move the contact 17 against the action of spring 22 into Contact with the flange ot contact ring 18 to close the circuit. This movement is attended by a movement ot the binding post 23 attached to contact- 17, which of course is permitted by the flexibility of' the lead wire connected therewith. As soon pressure is released from the button the spring returns contact 17 to its normal position' to break the circuit. It will be noted that the parts are well insulated so that there is no danger Vof short cir-r cuit and that the entire switch mechanism f is condensed in a very small space, making it convenientto locate the button wherever desired. The nut members of both binding posts are prevented from turning, making it e .sy to connect the wires thereto.

The entire construction is strong and durable and is not liable to get out of order, though it is inexpensive to manufacture. The broad annular contact made between the contact members is one which otilers low resistance to the circuit established and which7 because ot' the slight play between the parts, 'will have its Contact surfaces wear clean at alltimes.

The invention is not limited to specific form and arrangement oi parts, except in so i'ar as such limitations are specified in the claims; Y .Y

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a push button a pair oi2 annular contacts, an insulating member within one contact, a stem eccentrically positioned 'on the other contact passing through an opening in the insulating member and toi-ming a binding post, and a. binding post `formed on the first mentioned contact and engaging the insulating member to prevent it trom turning.

2. In a push button, a paii of annular contacts7 an insulating member held within one contact, a stem mounted on the other con tact and passing through an opening Vin the insulating member and forming a binding post, a spring surrounding the stein and bearing on the insulating member and on the saidother contact, there being a recessin the insulating member,- a. flange Aon the first mentioned contact formingI` a nut housing with the said recess,V a nut within the nut housing7 and a screw passing through the flange and threaded in the nut to constitute a binding post. 1

3. In push button, a cup-shaped Contact and a ring-shaped contact, both havingannular flanges to form Contact surfaces',` an

vinsulating member fitting withinV the ringof the casing, a cup-shaped vContact membei' bearing against the button member.` a

ring-shaped contact provided with an outwardly extending flange andan inwardly extending flange, an insulating member contained wit-hin the yriiifcaslraped contact and i bearing against the iii-turned flange, an in sulating ring aiouiid the ring-shaped contact engaged by the outwardly 'extending flange,va retaining ring secured to the casing and engaging the insulating ring, asteni on the cup-shaped contact passingthrough the insulating member and forming a binding post, a spring surrounding the `stein Vvand bearing on the insulating member and on the cup-shaped coiitact,`and a. binding post on the in-turned. flange oit the ring-shaped contact formed by a. screw passing through said flange and a nut threaded von the screw and contained in the recess ot thek insulating member. A' l 5. In a push button, a sheet inetal'coiitact member provided with a toothed ope-i1- ing7 a stem secured thereto by Ahaving arreduced portionpassedv through the opening and upset against the teeth ofthe opening to prevent it from turning,V and a; screw threaded in the stem to -l'orin a binding post.

In testimony whereof,4 I aliX'my Vsignature.

EDWARD N. JAoosi. 

